- Geography and Length
- The Yukon River spans 3,190 kilometers from British Columbia to the Bering Sea
- The river's drainage area is 854,700 square kilometers, larger than Texas or Alberta
- The main tributary is Teslin River, which flows into the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta
- Historical Significance
- The river was crucial during the 1896-1903 Klondike Gold Rush
- The Thirty Mile section is a national heritage river
- Paddle-wheel boats operated on the river until the 1950s
- Ecology and Salmon
- The river hosts one of the world's longest salmon runs
- Chinook salmon migrate up to 2,000 miles annually
- Salmon populations have significantly declined in recent decades
- The 2023 Chinook salmon count was 58,500, lowest on record
- Management and Preservation
- The Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council works to restore river's health
- The 2001 Salmon Agreement between US and Canada governs the river
- Various organizations protect salmon runs and traditional fishing methods
- The river faces ongoing pollution from military installations and wastewater